Nursery World - Professors of play

The value of learning through play is not as obvious to many parents as it is to professionals. Mary Evans tells how you can help them appreciate this important concept Parents naturally want the best start for their children. But in today's competitive world of league tables and assessments they can all too easily think that the most positive first step on life's ladder of learning is to push their toddlers into a formalised programme of education, rather than letting them progress through play.

Parents naturally want the best start for their children. But in today's competitive world of league tables and assessments they can all too easily think that the most positive first step on life's ladder of learning is to push their toddlers into a formalised programme of education, rather than letting them progress through play.

Childcare professionals from all sectors and settings often find that when practising the philosophy of learning through play, they first have to teach the parents. As Ann Elliott, head of Horton Grange First School in Blythe, Northumberland, and vice-chair of the National Association of Head Teachers Early Years Committee, says, 'I had one mother say, "I don't want my son dressing up. He should be at his desk doing sums". I had to explain how important dressing up was for them.'

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